Latch-finger for stamp-mills.



PATBNTED JAN. 3, 1905.

M. P. BOSS.

LATCH FINGER FOR STAMP MILLS.

PATENTED JAN.'3, 1905.

M. P. BOSS. LATCH FINGER FOR STAMP MILLS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 19, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

\A ilnasses- Mei Patented January 3, 1905.

MARTIN PRIOR BOSS, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

LATCH-FINGER FOR STAMP-MILLS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 779,394, dated January 3, 1905. Application filed February 19, 1904. Serial No. 194,408.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN PRIOR Boss, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Latch-Fingers for Stamp- Mills; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to the class of devices for temporarily throwing a stamp of a mill out of action by engaging the tappet of the stamp-stem and lifting and supporting it above the path of the operating-cam.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and effective latch-finger which can be readily thrown to and locked in its engagement and as easily removed therefrom.

My invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement, and combination of parts at the base of the latch-finger which occasion, control, and define its movement and position to secure the necessary results of entering under the tappet, lifting it clear of the cam, supporting it rigidly over alined centers, and lowering it again to the cam, all as I shall hereinafter fully describe and claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in cross-section, showing the latch finger out of use. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the latch-finger entered under thetappet and before lifting the stamp. Fig. 3 is an elevation showing the latch-finger in its full operative position, having lifted the stamp and holding it lifted. Fig. 4 is a sectional View of the foot connection of the latch-finger, taken transversely to the sections of the other figures.

The stamp A has a stem A, provided with a tappet A in the usual manner. The cam B, operating under the tappet, lifts and drops the stamp in the manner common to these devices.

In a beam or other support O is fixed a bearing D, consisting of a rod or shaft. Upon this bearing is pivotally mounted in any suitable way as, for example, by its depending fork c-a block E, which has on one side a bearing-face e and on the other a bearingface 6 the latter being at an angle to the former, as shown. The block E is formed with two ears 6 which receive between them the foot F of the latch-finger G. A pivot-pin f passes through the ears 0 and through the intervening foot F and pivotally connects the foot to the block E. The foot F has on one side a face f, which opposes the face 0 of the block, and on the other side it has a face f opposite the face 0 of said block; but as the faces f and f of the foot are in parallel planes and the faces a and e of the block are in planes at an angle to each other it follows that when the faces a and f are in contact the faces 0 and f are separated, and vice versa. The block and foot are chambered to receive a coil-spring H, which encircles the pivot-pin f, and said spring is so connected that its tension is to normally hold the faces 0 and f of the block and foot in contact, thereby closing on that side the limited hinge between the block and foot. The latch-finger G rises from the foot F and carries at its upper end the supporting-lug g. A lover I is secured by the bolts 2' to one end of the block E. The relative arrangement of these parts and their operation will be readily understood by referring to the figures consecutively.

In Fig. 1 the latch-finger is thrown back out of action, its supporting-lug g being removed from the vicinity of the tappet, and the stamp can be operated by the cam. \Vhen it is desired to hang up the stamp, the lever I is forced down just as the cam has raised the tappet to its upper limit. This movement of the lever rocks the block E on the fixed support or bearing D in the direction of the stamp-stem, and the spring H causes the foot F to follow said block, thereby throwing the latch-finger toward the stamp-stem and causing the supporting-lug of said finger to pass under the tappet until it contacts with the stem, when the movement of said latch-finger is arrested. This is the position shown in Fig. 2; but it is obviously necessary that the supporting-lug, which to properly clear the tappet to get under it should be lower than said tappet, must now rise to lift the tappet well clear of the path of the cam and hold it there. This resultis secured by the continued downward movement of lever I, the efiect of Which is to continue to turn the block E upon its fixed support or bearing D. Remembering that by reason of the contact of supporting-lug g with the stem, as seen in Fig. 2, the foot F is arrested and can follow the block no longer, it will be seen that said block new separates its face a from the face f of the foot and causes its other face, 0 to approach and finally to come in contact with the other face, f of the foot, thus closing the limited hinge between the block and foot on its hitherto open side. This contact under the continued movement of the lever I and block E results in what may be termed a cam action of block E, by which the foot F is turned with the block about the bearing or support D as a center until the axis of the pivot-pin f and that of the support or bearing 1) are alined or lie in the same plane, which is the position shown in Fig. 3; but to reach this position it is obvious that the foot must rise, and thereby lift the latchfinger and its supporting lug, resulting in lifting the tappet well above the path of the cam. It will also be seen that in this position the weight or strain is practically alined with the two centers below and the parts are at rest, the weight being supported by the fixed bearing D. By lifting lever I the operation is reversed, and the latch finger first lowers the tappet to the cam and then withdraws to the position of Fig. 1.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a latch-finger mechanism for stampmills, the combination of a latch-finger, a fixed bearing below, a block pivotally mounted on said bearing, a limited hinge connection between the finger and block, and a spring controlling said liinge connection to close it on one side, said block and finger having opposing faces adapted by contact to control the hinge movement of the finger, to lift said finger and to aline its hinge connection with the weight and the fixed bearing, whereby the stamp is held up.

2. In a latch-finger mechanism for stampmills, the combination of a latch-finger, a fixed bearing below, a block pivotally mounted on said bearing, a hinge connection between the finger and block, and a spring to turn the finger on its hinge in one direction, said block and finger having on one side of the connection opposing faces serving as limiting-stops: to the hinge movement of the finger, and on the other side having opposing faces serving by the rocking of the block to lift the finger and to aline its hinge connection with the weight and the fixed bearing, whereby the stamp is held up.

3. In a latch-finger mechanism for stampmills, the combination of the latch-finger having a foot with lower faces in parallel planes, a block having upper faces in planes at an angle to each other, a pivotal connection between the latch-finger foot and the block, a spring controlling said connection and tending to effect the pivotal movement of the foot in one direction, a fixed bearing upon which the block is pivoted and a lever to rock the block on said bearing.

4:. In a latch-finger mechanism for stampmills, the combination of a hinged latch-finger having a top adapted to move under the stamp stem tappet, and a foot formed with lower faces on each side of its hinge-axis, said faces being in parallel planes, a fixed bearing be low, a block pivotally mounted on said bearing and having upper faces opposing the lower faces of the finger-foot, and lying in planes at an angle to each other, a pivotal connection between the finger-foot and the block, a spring controlling said connection and tending to ef feet the pivotal movement of the foot in one direction, and a lever to rock the block.

h In1 witness whereof I have hereunto set my anc.

MARTIN PRIOR BOSS,

WVitnesses:

H. O. CUTTING, C. F. REYNOLDs 

